Project overview

The aim of this project is to develop and integrate different language
tools in an environment for writing support. The tools will include functions
for grammar checking, linguistic search/editing, and help systems with
language rules and facilities for sharing texts and comments over the web.
The project builds on previous work on a grammar checking prototype called
Granska
(Domeij, Knutsson, Larsson, Rex & Severinson Eklundh, 1998) and on
a spelling error detection and correction program called Stava
(Kann, Domeij, Hollman & Tillenius, 1998; you can use Stava with a
web interface). All functions
in the new writing environment will have access to information about word
classes and inflections of the words in a text and can use this linguistic
information for more advanced processing, such as analysis of grammatical
errors or search for linguistic objects.

Presentation of the project

The project presented itself (in Swedish) in the afternoon of 22 March 1999.
More information can be found
here.

Work shop on language technology

The project will arrange a work shop at KTH December 3-4 1999 in cooperation
with Nordiska språkrådet.
More information can be found
here.

Grammar checking and proof reading

The Granska environment will be improved to give room for new checking
functionality as well as improved efficiency. Combinations of rule-based
and statistical methods will be explored and used for word class
disambiguation and error detection. In collaboration with the Department
of Linguistics at the University of Gothenburg we intend to explore
finite state methods for
finding grammatical errors. Among the many challenging problems in
Swedish grammar checking, we will focus on noun phrase agreement errors
and split compounds. The efficient spell checker Stava, developed at Nada,
will be integrated in the grammar checking function.

Linguistic search and editing functions

The linguistic information in Granska makes it possible to introcuce new
linguistic functions which are of interest to writers as well as language
learners. These include linguistic search, i.e. searching for linguistic
units rather than strings of characters. For example, a writer may need
to locate all verbs in a text in order to consider the tense choice, and
possibly change a verb to present instead of past tense. The latter is
an example of linguistic editing functions, which use the linguistic structure
of the text to provide powerful tools for revision.

Within the project a linguistic search function will be implemented.
The design and use of linguistic editing functions will be considered and
explored.

Language rules and help system

It is of primary importance for writers to be able to locate language resources
and help information without leaving the current task. As a collaboration
between IPLab and the Swedish
Language Council (Svenska språknämnden), we plan to create
a working help system for writers, to be included in a networked environment.
A particularly important part of the project is to make the well-known
style guide Svenska skrivregler widely accessible in electronic form in
WWW environments. The style guide will also be linked to the grammar checking
function in Granska. The work will take advantage of existing work at IPLab
and CID on designing web based
style guides and shared help systems.

Interface design and implementation

The research profile at IPLab makes it natural to focus specifically on
the interface of the writing environment, and how various design choices
affect the writing process. The project will include empirical studies
of the Granska prototype with users, in order to explore how the dialogue
and system explanations should be designed with respect to different users'
linguistic knowledge. Special focus will be placed on how the users can
adapt the system to their purposes, and take active part in the linguistic
analysis of the text when necessary. Another important issue is how to
integrate the different system functions into a unified and flexible writing
environment, preferably connected to the web.